Capital for columns.



No, 832,467. PATHNTBD OUT. 2, 1906.

' F. X. FERG..

CAPITAL FOR COLUMNS.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 3, 1906.

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FRANCIS FERG, or MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAPITAL FOR COLUMNS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906.

Application filed April 3, 1906. Serial No. 309,690.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS X. FERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Media, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Capitals for Columns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the capitals of columns used in architectural construction and decorative work; and its object is to provide a capital, particularly one of the order known as Roman-Ionic, which shall combine the advantages of cheapness and durability. This object I attain by building up the capital from separate pieces of wood or other suitable material in a manner not heretofore known, such method of manufacture being cheaper than the capital carved from an integral block and at the same time possessing wearing qualities far superior to those of the ordinary capitals formed of a composition in imitation of wood.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a Roman-Ionic capital constructed in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan, the top piece being removed; and Fig. 8 is a central transverse section through Fig. 1;

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 3 show the conventional elements making up the Roman-Ionic designto wit, the supporting member (echinus) a, the volutes b, and the eight-sided abacus or top piece 0. A portion of the column-shaft d is also shown. The central portion of the capital between the abacus and echinus consists of a frame made up of the side members 6 and the diagonallyprojecting members f, all securely fastened together by gluing, nailing, or other suitable means. Those portions of the pieces f extending beyond the circumference of the echinus are of sufficientdepth to ermit of the scrollwork g, constituting the v0 utes, and the exterior faces of the pieces 6 can be given any desired ornamentation, preferably by gluing or otherwise securing ornamental molding to said faces. All of the various parts described having been permanently secured toframe can be varied in construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

My invention can also be applied to the Grecian-Ionic and other forms of capitals.

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, a column-capital comprising a supporting member, a top piece, and a substantially square built-up frame interposed between said supporting member and top piece, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a column-capital comprising a supporting member, a top piece, and a substantially square built-up frame interposed between said supporting member and top piece, said frame being provided with pieces extending diagonally from the corners, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a column-capital comprising a supporting member, a top piece, and a substantially square built-up frame interposed between said supporting member an top piece, said frame having diagonal corner extension-pieces extending beyond the circumference of the supporting member, substantially as described.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a column-capital comprising a supporting member, a top piece, and an interposed frame having corner-pieces extending beyond the circumference of the supporting member, said extending pieces being of increased depth at the outer ends to provide for the volutes of the capital, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS X. FERG.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. HowsoN, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

